After the senate had contributed with the
utmost punctuality according to their rated properties, the principal
plebeians, friends of the nobility, according to a concerted plan, began
to contribute. And when the populace saw these men highly applauded by
the patricians, and also looked up to as good citizens by men of the
military age, scorning the support of the tribunes, an emulation
commenced at once about paying the tax. And the law being passed about
declaring war against the Veientians, the new military tribunes with
consular power marched to Veii an army consisting in a great measure of
volunteers.
[Footnote 159: The reading of the original here is decidedly incorrect.
Various emendations have been attempted, but none can be deemed
satisfactory.]
61. The tribunes were Titus Quintius Capitolinus, Publius Quintius
Cincinnatus, Caius Julius Julus a second time, Aulus Manlius, Lucius
Furius Medullinus a second time, and Manius Æmilius Mamercinus. By these
Veii was first invested. A little before the commencement of this siege,
when a full meeting of the Etrurians was held at the temple of Voltumna,
it was not finally determined whether the Veientians were to be
supported by the public concurrence of the whole confederacy. The siege
was less vigorous in the following year, some of the tribunes and their
army being called off to the Volscian war. The military tribunes with
consular power in this year were Caius Valerius Potitus a third time,
Manius Largius Fidenas, Publius Cornelius Maluginensis, Cneius Cornelius
Cossus, Kæso Fabius Ambustus, Spurius Nautius Rutilus a second time. A
pitched battle was fought with the Volscians between Ferentinum and
Ecetra; the result of the battle was favourable to the Romans. Artena
then, a town of the Volscians, began to be besieged by the tribunes.
Thence during an attempt at a sally, the enemy being driven back into
the town, an opportunity was afforded to the Romans of forcing in; and
every place was taken except the citadel. Into the fortress, well
protected by nature, a body of armed men retired. Beneath the fortress
many were slain and made prisoners. The citadel was then besieged; nor
could it either be taken by storm, because it had a garrison sufficient
for the size of the place, nor did it hold out any hope of surrender,
all the public corn having been conveyed to the citadel before the city
was taken; and they would have retired from it, being wearied out, had
not a slave betrayed the fortress to the Romans: the soldiers being
admitted by him through a place difficult of access, took it; by whom
when the guards were being killed, the rest of the multitude,
overpowered with sudden panic, surrendered. After demolishing both the
citadel and city of Artena, the legions were led back from the Volscian
territory; and the whole Roman power was turned against Veii. To the
traitor, besides his freedom, the property of two families was given as
a reward. His name was Servius Romanus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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